It's back-to-school time across the country, and as kids and young adults are returning to the classroom, many adult students are thinking about going back to school as well. To help busy adults take the leap in 2016, Western Governors University (WGU) - parent university of WGU Tennessee - is offering 100 Back-to-School Scholarships.

The scholarships, worth up to $2,000 each, will be awarded to 100 new students who are accepted to WGU by the end of the year. To be considered, prospective students must have previously completed at least 20 college credits, be admitted to WGU, and submit a scholarship application by Dec. 31. Applicants must also complete an essay explaining their motivation for returning to college and participate in an interview with a scholarship counselor. Students may apply for the scholarship here.

Many adults need a degree to improve their employment situation, as was the case for J.J. Powell from Brentwood, Tenn. Powell achieved early career success as an information technology and cybersecurity consultant, but he knew that he would need an advanced degree to secure an upper management position in IT. He earned WGU's MBA degree with a focus in IT management and today works as chief information security officer at Five Iron Technologies in Franklin.

WGU Tennessee's competency-based education model is designed to meet the needs of adult learners and allows students to take advantage of their knowledge and experience to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. Faculty members work one-on-one with students as mentors, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction. While WGU Tennessee's degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their programs, saving both time and money.

The Back-to-School Scholarship is a competitive program and is for any of WGU Tennessee's more than 50 bachelor's and master's degree programs in business, information technology, teacher education, and health professions, including nursing. Scholarships will be awarded based on the student's academic record, previous college experience, readiness for online study, and current competency, as well as other considerations. The application deadline is Dec. 31, 2016. The scholarship will be applied at the rate of $500 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms, toward WGU Tennessee's already-low tuition of about $3,000 per term for most programs.